U.S. Marines sent to flood-ravaged
Philippines
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The United States on Tuesday dispatched about 600 Marines and Navy personnel from Okinawa to help residents in the flood-ravaged Philippines. The Pentagon said tents, water and medical supplies also were being sent.
At least 657 people have been killed and 718 are
missing after two weeks of storms caused floods and landslides across a swathe
of the northern Philippines, according to officials there. An estimated 168,000
residents are homeless.
"At the request of the government of the Philippines,
U.S. forces are moving rapidly to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster
relief as a result of a series of storms that have devastated the country," the
Pentagon said.
About 600 troops and sailors attached to the 3rd Marine
Expeditionary Brigade began departing on Tuesday from their home base on the
Japanese island of Okinawa to provide humanitarian assistance and relief, the
Marine Corps said.
A 16-member military disaster assessment team has been
in the devastated area since Friday and the Pentagon said potable water,
medicine, basic medical supplies, large tents, blankets and generators were
being sent.
"U.S. forces will remain in the Philippines only as
long as necessary to assist the government in managing the effects of these
natural disasters," Brig. Gen. Kenneth Glueck, commander of Marine brigade, said
in a Marine statement.
U.S. and Philippine military and civilian authorities
have set up a joint headquarters at Clark Air Base in the Philippines to
coordinate efforts to get large quantities of relief supplies to the affected
area.
The United States no longer maintains military basing
in the Philippines after American forces left Clark Field and Subic Bay Naval
Base more than a decade ago on orders from the Philippine
government.
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